


Elucidator

by aj_linguistik



Category: Sword Art Online (Anime & Manga), ソードアート・オンライン - 川原礫 | Sword Art Online - Kawahara Reki
Genre: Alternate Universe, Brainwashing, Character Death, F/F, F/M, Gun Violence, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Pregnancy, Rebellion, Smoking, Trans Character, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:13:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24425584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aj_linguistik/pseuds/aj_linguistik
Summary: Enough is enough. The huge gap between the Administrator's wealthy regime and the people over which it rules has caused tension, and a rebellion rises up under the flag of a woman who is unafraid to speak her mind about the wrongs of the government. She leads the rebels in a fight to take out the Administrator's main bodyguards and political heads- the Integrity Officers. Their deaths will be public, an example of the people's desire for equality.Kirito is afraid of these rebels, who seek the head of his husband, an Officer presently under strict orders to remain unarmed and on the Administrator's base. After a surprise attack from these rebels, Kirito and his beloved flee into the city, desperate to survive. But he's about to discover a shocking truth: about himself, about the regime, and about the reason the Administrator needs his husband alive.
Relationships: Bercouli Synthesis One/Fanatio Synthesis Two, Eugeo/Kirigaya Kazuto | Kirito
Comments: 6
Kudos: 41





	1. Uncomfortably Displaced

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I could not get this fever dream of a fic out of my head. So. It happened. As usual, I update tags as I go and on the request of my readers. I cannot link the inspiration, so it's a short story time. In high school when we were all kinda goofing around, my friend group at the time wrote RPF of each other in different situations. While this fic is not a direct callback to one of my friend's stories (his was about zombies), it draws on one of his main plot points very subtly. The rest came purely out of my head. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope this idea is as interesting to others as it is to me. It's looking to be quite the ride.

Life can go from something pleasant and simple to utter chaos with a single gunshot. This was a reality I’d had to come to terms with very suddenly, and even then, I still wasn’t sure that I wouldn’t wake up one day and find myself curled up with my husband, back in our life of ignorance and luxury. As I carefully stepped over shards of broken glass, trying not to make a sound, my heart raced in my chest. This was theft, wasn’t it? People were out in the streets killing one another, knee-deep in rebellion, and I was worried that grabbing food from a small convenience store was stealing. I held up my shaky hands and grasped some of the food packages in front of me.

_We’ll die if we starve_.

I’d never had to do such a thing in my entire life. While I hadn’t grown up well-off, I’d been in a home where I wasn’t poverty-stricken enough to feel the need to steal to survive. And once I’d married my husband, I was placed in a realm very unfamiliar, but very luxurious and comfortable. There was nothing to complain about; his loyalty to our leader had given us the perfect life. We were favorable in her eyes, even more so now. I swallowed and shoved as much food as I could into my bag. This was for our own good.

A gunshot rang out over my head. I yelped and dropped to the floor, belatedly covering my mouth. I lay there, paralyzed for a moment. My face wasn’t nearly as recognizable as my husband’s was, but if a rebel discovered I was married to him, I had a worse fate than a bullet in my heart awaiting me. I’d heard the rumors. They wanted the Integrity Officers and their families decapitated for their loyalty to the Administrator. I slowly sat up and pressed my back against the shelf, subconsciously putting my hands to my neck.

The sound of crunching glass filled my ears. Whoever had fired the shot was in the convenience store. I could feel myself trembling. My husband was close by, hiding in a dark alleyway outside. I had to get to him before someone with a gun did. But if I got shot trying to get to him—or worse, identified as his lover and dragged away for a public execution—then it would all be for naught. I clutched the bag of food to my chest and sent up a silent prayer to whatever gods might be still watching this hellscape.

_Please._

It wasn’t much of a prayer, but it was all I could muster. I wanted this uprising to end. I had a life to live with him. I couldn’t bear the thought of the rest of our lives panning out in this world. The sound of footsteps was joined by a second set.

“I don’t see whoever came in this way,” someone mumbled.

I perked up. I knew that voice.

“Probably just an innocent civilian,” the other said. “Maybe we should turn around.”

I leapt up, unable to contain my relief, and turned around to face them. Two guns suddenly were trained on me, with their owners glaring me down with fingers pressed against the triggers. I threw my hands up to stop them, eyes widened with shock as I realized I should have spoken first. They lowered their guns a bit when they saw my face.

“Don’t shoot!” I shouted. “It’s me! Eldrie, it’s me!”

The lavender-haired man lowered his gun all of the way and blinked at me. I must have looked rather pathetic, wearing these tattered, dirty street clothes and holding a messenger bag filled to the brim with scavenged stolen goods. Beside him, now lowering his own gun, was Renly, who seemed significantly more mortified that he’d pointed a gun at me than Eldrie. I offered them a sheepish smile.

“Kirito?” Eldrie said. “What…what are you doing?”

I swallowed.

“Well, you see…the rebels…broke into our house and…” I stammered.

Eldrie furrowed his brow, clearly failing to see where this was going. In his eyes, my husband was supposed to be out with a gun in hand protecting the Administrator as well. None of the other Integrity Officers knew why the two of us had been ordered to stay at home. It was partly because it was none of their business. It was also partly because jealousy might arise from some of the favoritism my husband would be receiving over this.

“Where’s Eugeo?” Renly asked, breaking the awkward tension for us.

I frowned.

“Renly has a point,” Eldrie said. “You shouldn’t have had an issue if Eugeo was protecting the house. As a married Officer, his post should have been outside of your home. But I haven’t seen any rebels waving around his head. So, I presume he isn’t dead.”

Once again, the barrel of Eldrie’s gun was aimed at my chest. I swallowed again. Was he suspecting us of defecting? It couldn’t be further from the truth. I took a cautious step back, my hands still in the air to show I wasn’t about to put up a fight with him. I glanced towards the door-less exit that would lead to where Eugeo was hidden. I turned back to Eldrie and took a deep breath. He was on my side, and I was on his. I just had to remind him of that and be truthful with him.

“I can take you to him,” I said. “Administrator ordered us to remain out of the battle, but after the break-in, we fled. We had no other choice. With our weapons being held back at the main headquarters, we were defenseless.”

Renly and Eldrie gave each other unsure glances. To them, it likely sounded silly that Eugeo had no weapons on him. Integrity Officers never left the Administrator’s grounds unarmed just in case something exactly like this rebellion happened. And once again, information had been kept from them about Eugeo. He wasn’t presently permitted to hold weapons or engage in any sort of combat. But, the two Officers nodded, and then waved over at the door.

“This had better not be a trap, Kirito,” Eldrie said. “If you’ve defected and plan to kill us to win favor with the rebels, we’ll bring your corpses back to Administrator.”

My heart fluttered nervously in my chest. I nodded.

“I-I understand,” I said. “But I promise you—you’ll understand in a moment.”

I lowered my hands and clutched the strap of the messenger bag, hoping they wouldn’t tell me to drop the food. They said nothing about it. I once again carefully stepped my way out of the shop, leading them through the exit I’d looked at before. I could hear them behind me, carelessly stepping on the broken glass shards. The orange light from the setting sun hit my eyes as soon as I left the building. I put my arm up to shield my eyes.

“It’s just around the corner,” I told them.

They didn’t respond. I kept my eyes trained on my surroundings as I walked on. I wondered if they found me a bit paranoid. I couldn’t expect them to understand the fear I’d felt that day, when the rebels had showered our home with gunfire. We’d been snuggled up together, discussing our future after the uprising was taken care of, when we’d heard the first shot fly through one of the windows. I’d panicked and pushed Eugeo to the ground, covering his body with mine. We’d waited there, painfully afraid, as the voices outside discussed horrible things.

In the end, the lack of movement or cries seemed to give the false impression that our home was empty. When we were certain we could make a clean break, we quietly grabbed a few rations and fled out of the back of the home to escape into the city. We hadn’t made contact with any of the other Officers for at least a month. It was a slight relief that Eldrie had correctly guessed we weren’t dead, but I couldn’t imagine what he was thinking now that he’d found us.

When I reached the alley, I felt a bit of relief in my chest when I saw Eugeo still present there. I couldn’t help but chuckle a bit—he’d fallen asleep despite the dangerous situation and was curled up under a particularly filthy blanket we’d snagged in another guilty instance of theft. I knelt down beside him. I brushed some of the hair out of his face. His eyes opened just a crack. He smiled up at me, still looking a bit tired. I pointed my finger over at Eldrie and Renly.

“Look who found us,” I told him. “I think we’re going to be okay, now.”

Eugeo lifted his head a bit. His eyes widened when he saw his fellow Officers. I helped him sit up. For a brief moment, I thought he was going to leap up and greet them, but his eyes darkened. He was worried about the same thing I was—the information we’d been instructed to keep from the other Officers. He clutched the blanket around himself. I cupped his cheek in his hand. There didn’t seem to be a way around this. It was defy her orders or risk Eldrie shooting us for defecting.

“It’s okay,” I said. “I’m sure she’ll understand the situation.”

My husband still looked a bit unsure.

“Kirito, you promised an explanation,” Eldrie said, stepping forward. “Is he injured?”

I opened my mouth. Eugeo placed his fingers over it and shook his head. I frowned at him. He quietly asked me to help him stand up, whispering that one of his feet was asleep. I sighed and nodded, giving him a faint smile. I took his hand and helped him get up to his feet. Eugeo turned to look at Eldrie and Renly, giving them a rather sheepish-looking smile.

“I’m sorry to worry you,” he said. “I’m under strict orders not to carry a weapon right now. We haven’t been able to make it back to the safer areas within the month we’ve been out here hiding from the rebels. We haven’t been able to contact the Administrator because we left our cellphones in our home so as not to be traced by the rebels that tried to kill us.”

Eldrie frowned and shook his head.

“Why aren’t you permitted a weapon?” he asked.

Eugeo looked down at the ground.

“I’m technically also under strict orders not to reveal that information,” he said, slowly. “But if you need some form of proof, I suppose that I have no choice.”

A brief expression of conflict crossed Eldrie’s face. He didn’t want to force Eugeo to defy orders, but he also seemed unsure of whether or not Eugeo and I were lying. We had proof that we weren’t defecting to the side of the rebels. We’d have to deal with the consequences of defying her orders, but I think we both would rather survive and deal with the punishment than be executed here. Eugeo’s next words surprised me, though.

“I’ll give you the proof so that you can spare us,” he said. “But I’d like you to keep it a secret and pretend that you never saw us.”

I turned to Eugeo and grasped his arm.

“Wait…what are you doing?” I asked. “They could take us back to her! We can’t just stay out here like this!”

Eugeo turned to me and gave me a small smile.

“If the rebels think I’m alive, it’s better that they not learn we’ve returned to Administrator’s protection,” he said. “I might be on strict orders to lay low, but I still intend to fulfill my duty as her Officer. I won’t draw her any unnecessary danger.”

His words didn’t make much sense to me. I suppose that he figured that the rebels wanted the Administrator alive. If we took refuge with her, there was a higher chance that she might die in the crossfire. I didn’t think his reasons were very sound, but his word outranked mine in front of Eldrie. He was the Officer, not me. I lowered my head and simply nodded. Eugeo stepped over to Eldrie and Renly.

“Again, I ask that you please comply with Administrator’s wishes and tell no one,” he said.

Both of the other Officers bowed their heads. Eugeo pulled off the blanket and dropped it to the ground. For a brief moment, both Eldrie and Renly were confused. Sighing, Eugeo pressed his hand to his shirt and smoothed it down. Renly let out a short gasp and covered his mouth. Eldrie’s eyes widened.

“As you’re all well aware, I’m transgender,” Eugeo said, glancing downwards to his hand. “I hope you understand what this means.”

Renly blinked a few times.

“You’re…” he began.

Renly’s eyes snapped over to me. I felt heat rush to my cheeks. Eldrie shook his head for a moment, but then reached out his hand to Eugeo’s stomach. Something overly protective bubbled up in my chest. I stepped forward and straightened up a bit, hoping Eldrie got the picture not to touch Eugeo. His hand stopped and his eyes flicked over to me for a moment, then went back to resting on Eugeo’s stomach. Eugeo clutched his belly and bit his lip.

“Administrator has placed her protection on this child,” he continued. “She hasn’t told us everything, even being its parents, but she’s informed us that she has something very special planned for our baby. If something happens to me or to the child, she will be incredibly furious. Which is why hiding might be the best for us right now.”

Eldrie nodded, likely understanding the position we were in now. Eugeo let out a stressed sigh. I wrapped one arm around his shoulders. I could feel Eldrie’s jealousy trained on us. Eugeo had revealed that we were in Administrator’s special favor at the time, which meant politically speaking, we had more sway than the other Officers at the moment. Renly, on the other hand, didn’t seem to care about that. He seemed more in shock to learn that we were expecting than he did knowing we were the favorites. He stepped forward and reached into his belt to pull out a small handgun. I raised my eyebrow when he held it out to me.

“Kirito, I know this is probably against the rules,” he said, “but please, take this. Protect Eugeo and your child. I’d hate to see any one of the three of you dead.”

A bit flustered at the first acknowledgement from anyone other than the Administrator that we were a family of three now, I clumsily accepted the weapon. Even as the husband of an Officer, I wasn’t permitted to carry a firearm. But the rebellion changed things. I needed to be able to protect Eugeo right now. I needed to protect both him and our baby, the child chosen by the Administrator for reasons presently unknown to its parents.

Eldrie shot Renly a dangerous look. Renly said nothing and pulled out a couple of magazines to hand to me as well. I slipped those into my bag, nodding in thanks. He promised that he wouldn’t tell a soul what he’d heard, and then before I knew it, Eugeo and I were alone again. I had to admit that my heart felt heavy. I’d hoped that running into Eldrie and Renly would mean we’d get to go back to the safety of the installation where Administrator was waiting for us. But I was following Eugeo’s lead here. I turned to him, frowning, and pressed a hand to his belly.

“You must be hungry,” I said.

He raised his eyebrows.

“Is that what you’re worried about?” he asked, chuckling a little.

I shook my head. I opened up the bag and pulled out a sandwich to hand to him. He took it, then gave me a kiss on the cheek. I pulled out a bag of chips for myself. He might protest, but I wanted the food with more substance to go to him right now. Eugeo needed it more than I did.

“No, but I won’t defy your decision,” I said, quietly.

Smiling, Eugeo started to walk down the alley as he ate.

“Where on Earth are you going?” I asked him.

He waved a hand up in the air.

“I’m sure we can set up a base somewhere,” he said. “Unless you intend to continue to let me sleep in dark alleys on concrete.”

My duties as a husband and father-to-be insulted, I rushed after him, shoving a handful of chips in my mouth, and muttered that I wouldn’t let him tease me around like this. When I reached him, I playfully smacked his rear end. He gave me a sideways look, one which was particularly grumpy-looking.

“Really, one would think you’d be more mature in this situation,” he huffed.

I smirked at him.

“Says the man berating me for letting you sleep in an alleyway after dodging rebel gunfire,” I said rather cheekily.

I stopped him in his tracks and pushed him up against the wall of the building. His eyebrows indicated he was irritated with me, but he was smiling up at me with his eyes and his lips. He was enjoying a bit of playfulness. I took the chance to wrap my arms around him and pull him into a kiss. He let his guard down just enough to slip his hands over my ass to return the favor.

“Any ideas as to where to hide out?” I asked him.

He laughed and squeezed his hands a bit.

“Actually, I do have one.”


	2. Kind Stranger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: *stays up til midnight to make sure this chapter gets done* tada! ahahahaha. I had to turn this scene over in my head a few times before I said "Fuck it!" and went for it.

Night was unbelievably cold. Tonight, however, we’d gotten luckier than we had in a while. We’d had to sneak into a few empty homes as we kept moving. Staying in one place for too long could have us caught by the rebels. But after almost two months of sleeping in alleys and in abandoned homes, luck found us at long last. The evening hadn’t started out that way, though. A short while earlier, we were certain we’d be on the streets again.

I pulled out the blanket and wrapped it around Eugeo, glancing around at the empty square we were sitting near. Not a soul was out on the streets, likely afraid they’d get caught in the crossfire between the rebels and the Integrity Officers. I frowned, sighed, and turned back to him. He looked exhausted. I sat down beside him and pulled him against me. We were out of rations. I would need to break in somewhere and get him more food.

Eugeo let himself go limp against me. I felt my chest get tight. He deserved better than this. I held him close to me, praying that my warmth would be enough for him. I feared that I’d have to strip down to give him enough warmth, but I was afraid of exposing his bare skin to the cold. It was cold enough to snow.

“I’m sorry, Eugeo,” I said. “All of these homes look occupied.”

He shook his head slowly against my shoulder.

“It’s…okay,” he mumbled.

I swallowed. He sounded either tired or weak. It might have been a bit of both. Administrator’s command to keep our situation a secret was going to kill him, even though she swore that our child was in her special favor. Still, I bit my tongue and did as I was told. I had no other choice. I let my eyes slip closed as I held him tight and begged whatever powers that be for him to survive the night healthy.

“Kazuto?”

I jumped to attention. Someone was close by. I reached my hand back to grasp the gun Renly had given me. I looked to the source of the voice and saw a girl about my age staring down at us. She appeared to be unarmed. I let my fingers slip away from the gun. She took a few steps over to us and blinked down at the two of us.

“Where have you been?” she asked.

Her voice sounded like it was trembling.

“What…what do you mean?” I asked. “Are you someone from the main office?”

She gave me a confused look, and then she shook her head.

“Main office?” she repeated. “Kazuto…I thought…I thought you were dead! That’s not even funny!”

I frowned at her, not following. This person knew me? Why was she calling me that? I clutched Eugeo a little tighter. I scanned my memory for anything regarding this girl. Her hair was short and black. She appeared to be the same race as me. Her eyes were dark, too. She dropped down on her knees in front of me. Her eyebrows scrunched up together.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

I blinked at her.

“Who…who are you?” I stammered. “What department are you from?”

Her expression looked a bit more frustrated.

“Do you not…remember me?” she asked. “Big brother?”

I straightened up.

“Brother?” I repeated.

She pressed her hand to her chest.

“You really don’t remember, do you?” she said, sighing.

I shook my head.

“I’m afraid I don’t recognize you,” I said. “Perhaps you’ve mistaken me for someone else. I do apologize.”

Her eyes looked a bit sorrowful. She shook off the feeling and nodded to Eugeo, who hadn’t even moved. He was already asleep on my shoulder. I looked down at him and put a hand to his cheek. The cold was getting to him. I gently rubbed his face, trying to warm it up.

“Who’s your friend?” she asked. “He looks ill. Don’t you want to go home?”

I had to think up an excuse. If she was a citizen, I couldn’t risk revealing that Eugeo was an Integrity Officer.

“We…we’ve lost our home,” I said. “My name is Kirito. This is my husband.”

The girl looked surprised.

“Why don’t you come spend the night inside, then?” she asked. “He looks miserable.”

A part of me wanted to refuse. The uncertainty of whether or not this girl was an ally made this quite the risk. But at the same time, if I didn’t get Eugeo somewhere warm and get some food in his system, he’d be much worse for wear. I gave her a nod. I slipped one arm under Eugeo’s legs and the other around his back to scoop him up in my arms. The girl picked up my bag and the blanket. Eugeo’s eyes flitted open. I smiled at him.

“What’s…what are you…?” he mumbled.

I adjusted my grip on him and glanced over at the girl.

“This nice lady is going to let us inside her home for the night,” I said. “I think I’ll ask her for some food, too. You’re looking a bit pale.”

He shook his head.

“I…I’m fine,” he insisted.

Sighing, I touched my forehead to his.

“You’ve gotten quite a bit heavier, dear,” I teased quietly.

His brow furrowed a little bit, which told me he wasn’t too bad off for now. I turned around to the girl and nodded to her. She smiled, albeit awkwardly. She stepped forward and her eyes met Eugeo’s. He smiled and gave her a slight nod. Without the blanket, his condition was difficult to hide. His arm was resting atop his belly, after all. The girl bit her lip and placed the blanket over him as best as she could.

“My name’s Suguha,” she said. “What’s your name?”

He closed his eyes.

“Eugeo,” he said.

His words were faint. She glanced up at me. I nodded at her again.

“The sooner we get somewhere safe, the better it will be for him,” I said. “We haven’t eaten much today.”

She waved for us to follow her. Her home was fairly close by. She’d been out on a small errand she said. Something needed to be returned to a friend close by. She left out any specifics more than that. I didn’t suppose we needed any details. Being strangers, it would be as rude for us to pry as it would be for her. Suguha led us up into an apartment building and showed us into her small home.

“It’s not much, but it’s plenty warm,” she said.

I bowed my head.

“I can’t begin to thank you enough,” I said.

She gave me a sad smile.

“You said you hadn’t eaten?” she said. “Here, come set your husband in here on the futon. I’ll heat something up right quick for you to eat.”

Nodding, I went and carefully put Eugeo down on the futon seat. I propped him up with some pillows so that he could eat when she came back. I tucked the blanket around him so that he could make use of his arms. He smiled at me still, probably grateful to have somewhere comfortable to sit. Reaching down, I cupped his belly with my hand.

“We’re going to get you two something to eat, okay?” I said, trying not to let my overwhelmed emotions get the best of me.

Eugeo chuckled and reached up to hold my cheek in his palm. He was shaking.

“Are you sure…it’s safe?” he asked.

I nodded my head.

“Something feels right,” I said. “She’ll be safe.”

As if on cue, Suguha came into the room holding a couple of soup bowls. She handed one to Eugeo and one to me. We thanked her for the meal. I waited for Eugeo to start eating first. If he finished and needed more, I’d give him some of mine. But Suguha gave me an oddly familiar pointed look and nodded at the bowl in my hands.

“I’m aware of the situation, Kirito,” she said. “If he needs more to eat, I’ll bring him another portion.”

I glanced down at the food in my hands and did my best not to let tears show.

“I…I can’t ask that much of you,” I stammered. “I…you’re too kind, Suguha.”

She shook her head.

“Even if you don’t remember me,” she said, “I know you’re my brother. If this man means so much to you, he means something to me, too. You said he’s your husband, though. Does that mean I have a brother-in-law?”

While I still wasn’t sure what to make of her claim that I was her brother, I decided it was best for now to go along with it. I nodded my head and showed her the wedding band on my left hand.

“That’s right,” I said. “Eugeo is my husband. He means the world to me.”

Suguha smiled.

“And perhaps I’m mistaken, but…you’re expecting, aren’t you?” she asked.

It was likely out of politeness. It was rather obvious at this point—especially with how he was sitting. Under his blanket, his belly jutted out just enough that it probably didn’t look like random weight gain. Eugeo set his already-emptied bowl down and rested one hand against his abdomen.

“Yes, that’s right,” he said.

She reached over and picked up the bowl.

“Would you like some more?” she asked.

He bit his lip, but then he nodded. She hurried off, refilled the bowl, and then came back to hand it to him. He thanked her and got busy with that bowl as well. Suguha turned to look at me, laughing at his eagerness.

“And you?” she asked. “Would you like some more?”

I shook my head, set down my bowl, and patted my stomach.

“Nah, I’m full,” I said. “But that was really good. I haven’t had a full meal in a couple of months.”

Her expression was suddenly sad once again. I didn’t want her to be sad on account of us.

“Look, this rebellion has just displaced a lot of people,” I said, trying to stay vague. “Don’t feel too bad. We’ve just been wandering around from place to place every day since our home was caught in the crossfire.”

Suguha frowned over at Eugeo.

“How far along is he?” she asked. “If you’ve been traveling for a couple of months…”

I nodded.

“It’s been a bit of a difficult adjustment,” I said. “I’ve been making sure he gets the most of our rations. He’s hit the sixth month. I don’t want to think about what happens if we’re still on the streets when the time comes to deliver.”

To my surprise, Suguha reached over and placed her hand on my knee.

“Maybe you should stay here,” she said. “I shouldn’t say this to strangers, but I think I can trust you. I’m with Lightning Flash’s rebel faction; if I take you to the main base, they’ll make sure to find a place for you to safely deliver your baby, big brother.”

I had to resist the urge to bolt to my feet. This girl was with the group of people who’d tried to kill us. I think she noticed how I tensed up. Come to think of it, it was odd that she was offering shelter to Eugeo if she worked with the rebels. Didn’t she know his name and face? They were both publicly available to any citizen. I’d been foolish to bring him in here.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

I swallowed.

“N-no,” I stammered. “Nothing at all.”

She didn’t seem convinced, but she moved on without prying any further.

“Well, if you want to think about it and then let me know, that works,” she said. “If you want, you’re both welcome to use the bath. I’m sure you feel rather grimy after being on the streets for so long. Plus, a nice, hot bath is good for your circulation, Eugeo.”

He blinked up from his bowl, apparently having heard none of the conversation. I told her that, once again, we were grateful for her kindness. I took Eugeo into the bath and filled it up so we could clean ourselves and dress up any cuts and bruises we had. While she was out of earshot, I filled him in on her status as a rebel fighter and asked him what we should do. He sighed and shook his head.

“We can’t stay here,” he said. “Before long, she’ll discover that I’m an Integrity Officer. And in my weakened state, my hand-to-hand combat is a bit lower than I’d like it to be right now. We’ll have to make a break for it when we get a chance.”

I nodded. He was right.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m sorry for leading you into this.”

He shook his head.

“Don’t be,” he said. “It’s nice to have a warm bath, a warm, comfortable place to sleep, and a full belly for once. Perhaps until it gets to be an issue, we could stay here.”

It made sense. We just had to find a way to talk ourselves out of being introduced to the rest of her rebel friends. In due time, we’d think up a good enough excuse. I was sure of it. Until then, we could play it off like we were still contemplating things. Unless the baby decided to make an early entrance, we had time before we’d need to think about where to deliver.

I helped Eugeo to clean up and then slipped him into the loaned pajamas Suguha had given us. They didn’t exactly fit him, but they worked well enough for us to get a night’s sleep without thinking about it too much. After all, even ill-fitted clothing was an improvement from nearly freezing on the streets. We left the bathroom feeling much more refreshed than we had in weeks, and certainly with a much better scent following us.

Suguha ran into us in the hallway. She had a mug filled with warm tea in each hand. She gave us a smile, then showed us into her bedroom and set down the tea mugs on the nightstand. I gave her a funny look.

“I’m not normally the type to give up my unprepared space to a stranger, so excuse the fact that these sheets haven’t been cleaned yet this week,” she said. “I made you each a little something to warm you up. Don’t worry about waking up to help with anything. I’ll make sure your husband gets an equally filling breakfast, big brother.”

I gave her a polite bow and grasped my arm.

“Why are you doing all of this for us?” I asked. “What if we happened to be on the wrong side or something? You barely know us.”

She gave me a sad smile.

“I know you don’t remember yourself, Kazuto,” she said. “But you’re my big brother, and I love you very much—even if for some reason, like you said, you were a member of Quinella’s faction. It isn’t about being your sister, though.”

I tilted my head, frowning.

“Then what is it about?” I asked.

Her smile seemed to be indicating something much deeper than a longing to help a brother she’d lost. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but there was just something about her that gave away her incredibly huge heart. Would she have done the same if she wasn’t looking at someone who she thought was her big brother? Something told me she would.

“You’re human,” she said. “That’s all there is to it. Politics don’t matter. A man and his expectant husband were starving and freezing to death. The right thing to do is to help them in whatever way I can. I don’t have to agree with you to care about you, you know.”

I blinked at her. I hadn’t thought of it that way.

“You’re right,” I said, smiling and nodding. “We’ll think about your offer. In the meantime, thank you. Truly. For everything you’ve done in this short time we’ve been together.”

She dipped her head at me.

“It’s not a problem,” she said. “Have a good night.”

With that, she turned and left us in her bedroom. I turned around to see Eugeo was already under the covers, snoring away on his side. Smiling at him, I walked over to the bed, crawled in on the side his back was facing, and slipped under the covers to cuddle up to him. I wrapped my arms around his torso and pulled him against me.

Unlike earlier, I could feel the warmth of his skin. It was smooth and clean and smelled of fresh flowers. My heart felt eased. He was going to make it through this night, and so was our little one. I kissed his cheek once before settling down into the pillow behind him. There were many things for us to think about, but for now, we were allowed just a tiny bit of peace and relaxation.

“Truly…thank you…Suguha,” I mumbled.

Little did I know that this chance encounter would save our lives later—in a much more shocking way.


	3. Cold Orders

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yoooo I got something done amidst my October Prompt Challenge! Haha! I'm not just writing one-shots and putting everything else on pause, I promise!

My head felt groggy as I lifted the coffee mug to my lips and took a long draw of the black, unaltered drink. As much as I’d wanted to take Eugeo away from this woman who worked with Lightning Flash’s resistance group, I couldn’t argue that we were both better fed and much cleaner than we’d been for the two months we’d been wandering around on the streets. Looking over at Eugeo now, as he talked to her, there was a smile on his face and a rosiness to his cheeks. It was the first time in a while that I could actually think that he looked like he was glowing.

Suguha herself never mentioned whether she thought we were enemies or not. She was always so pleasant with us. Naturally, she refused to stop calling me her brother, which made it even harder to believe that when she went to work, she was actually meeting up with the rebels that wanted our heads. I watched her hand now, so tenderly pressed against Eugeo’s belly. That hand could easily sever his neck in this fragile condition. I did my best not to betray my unease. She’d given me no indication that she’d recognized him as an Integrity Officer. Until such time that she did, I had to keep my cool—for Eugeo’s sake.

I sighed and took another drink of my coffee. The flavor was rich and smooth. Its scent brought a sense of longing for something I couldn’t quite place. I glanced up from the mug and my eyes caught Eugeo’s. He was smiling at me, in a way that stirred up butterflies in my chest. Those brilliant green eyes sparkled with life. I felt a very intense urge to lean over and kiss him. I dug my fingernails into palm as I held onto the handle. I had to behave myself in front of our host.

“Do you have any guesses?” Suguha asked.

I blinked at her, having forgotten what we’d been talking about in the first place.

“Pardon?” I said. “Sorry, the coffee’s not kicking in yet.”

She laughed.

“At what you’re having,” she said. “What do you think the baby is?”

She’d properly guessed that we didn’t know the baby’s sex. We’d discussed with Administrator whether or not we’d be permitted to know, and she’d never really given us a clear answer. That had been before we’d all been distracted by this uprising. Ever since, we hadn’t been able to see a doctor and learn this for ourselves, permissions notwithstanding. Eugeo hummed and rubbed the top of his belly.

“It’s hard to say,” he said. “I think…maybe a boy.”

Suguha giggled.

“Any reasons?” she asked.

Eugeo grinned.

“Very rowdy,” he said. “Just like his papa.”

I almost choked on my coffee when they both looked at me. The pair burst into a fit of laughter while I glared at Eugeo over the rim of my mug. He mouthed a quick apology. I sighed and shook my head. What was I going to do with him? Nothing, truthfully—the way he smiled at me with his eyes was too adorable for me to be mad. I set down my drink and walked over to crouch down beside him. I reached my hand over to feel his belly.

“You gonna kick for me?” I asked, awkwardly laughing.

Suguha giggled.

“Is the baby shy?” she asked. “I’ve been hoping to feel a few kicks, but it’s not happening. And you say the baby’s rowdy.”

Eugeo laughed.

“He _is_ ,” he said. “But yeah, I think he’s shy.”

Humming, he shifted how he was sitting. He pushed his hips forward a little and leaned his shoulders and ribcage back.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

He grinned.

“Giving him a little more space,” he said. “Keep your hand there. He usually starts kicking like crazy when I do that.”

I waited for a moment, feeling nothing. But as soon as Eugeo stretched back a little more, I felt the movement in his belly. A warm feeling filled my chest. That feeling started to well up, and then everything burst. I buried my face in his belly and let out a sob. Eugeo started to stroke my hair as I cried. I felt Suguha place her hand on my back. I truly couldn’t hate her, even knowing what I did. Our baby was healthy because of her.

The sound of a doorbell broke the tension. I drew in a breath and snapped up to attention. Eugeo grasped one of my hands, probably trying to calm me in case it was nothing to be wary of. However, Suguha stood up and groaned.

“I forgot that Asuna was coming by today,” she said. “If you’re okay with it, Lightning Flash is supposed to have a meeting with me today. If it’s too confidential, she’ll let me know if you have to go into another room. But for now, just hang tight right here.”

She disappeared around the corner to go and answer her door. For a terrifying moment, I held my breath and listened to them talking by the door. I reached around my back and felt for the gun that was tucked into the back of my pants. I didn’t want to have to shoot someone, but if this Asuna recognized Eugeo as Officer Thirty-Two, then I would be left with no choice.

“We can’t stay in here,” Eugeo whispered.

I shook my head.

“But if we flee, it’ll look suspicious,” I said.

I reached over to the table and picked up a cloth napkin. This was rather silly, but it was this or nothing.

“Cover your face with this,” I said. “Make the excuse that you feel nauseous.”

He glanced down at his belly. We both knew he’d stopped having morning sickness for a while now. It wasn’t the best plan, that was for sure. He gave me a worried look. I gave him a fake smile of confidence.

“I’m sure we’ll be okay,” I said. “Even if something bad happens, who would kill a pregnant person?”

He bit his lip.

“The problem is that we don’t know how heartless Lightning Flash is,” he mumbled.

“Who’s this, Suguha?”

I looked up to see a woman clothed head to toe in combat gear. She was very heavily armed from what I could tell, and her long, chestnut hair was hiding quite a bit of what she could be carrying on her back. I kept my right hand to my back, preparing myself to have to pull out the gun. Eugeo kept his face towards me. He held up a shaking hand to cover his face.

“Oh, Asuna, this is my brother Kazuto,” she said. “He’s…he seems to have lost his memories and is presently going by ‘Kirito.’ And this is his husband—”

I jumped in before she could answer.

“Eolyne,” I said. “My husband Eolyne.”

Eugeo gave me a somewhat frustrated look. I’d just said the first name with an “e” that popped into my head. I tried not to look like I was receiving a rather unamused glare from him. Suguha frowned.

“But you said it was—”

I cut her off again.

“I must have misspoken.”

The look in her eyes changed from one of confusion to one of understanding. Our prior conversation about us possibly being on different sides was clicking in her brain. I swallowed. Covering up Eugeo’s name was evidence enough. I just had to hope that she wouldn’t rat me out to Asuna. The conflicted look in her eyes told me that I was going to lose this battle, though. I wrapped my fingers around the gun and braced myself for the moment in which I had to pull it out. Asuna set her jaw.

“Flaxen hair…” she mumbled. “There was no official announcement from the state that Integrity Officer Thirty-Two died when we attacked his estate. Is the name he gave you ‘Eugeo,’ perchance, Suguha?”

I swallowed. I met Suguha’s eyes. I silently begged her.

_Please. Don’t make me shoot you._

Asuna pulled out a gun at lightning speed. I suppose that’s how she got her title. I pulled out my own gun, but I wasn’t fast enough to match her. She’d already fired. I felt hot pain fill my stomach. I looked down between my arms to see blood starting to drip down my front. My arms shook as they held onto the gun.

“KIRITO!” Eugeo exclaimed.

I wanted him to stay put, but he got out of the chair and came over to me. I felt my legs starting to go limp. I fell over onto him. I saw Asuna preparing to fire again. I opened my mouth to try and tell Eugeo to get out of here, but words refused to come out. Only gasps of air as I tried to fight past the pain. I saw Suguha run around in front of Asuna and hold out her arms.

“That’s my brother you just shot!” she exclaimed. “I’m sure there’s an explanation!”

Asuna shook her head.

“Now that I’ve gotten a good look at the other’s face, Suguha, I can assure you that your brother’s married to an Integrity Officer,” Asuna said. “Isn’t that right, Eugeo?”

Eugeo sucked his teeth and gave her an angry glare as he clung to me.

“I’m the one you want!” he cried. “There was no reason to shoot Kirito!”

Asuna huffed.

“We’re ending the lives of all of her pets,” she said. “We just won’t remove his head like we will with yours. Suguha, move.”

Suguha shook her head.

“Please!” she begged. “If you have to do something, at least take them captive! Eugeo’s pregnant!”

Asuna’s arm shook for a bit, and then she lowered the gun. She looked at Eugeo. He turned a bit, as if trying to silently plead our case by proving it. He carefully sat me down into a chair, all the while keeping his eyes fixed on Asuna, and then he started to carefully rip apart my clothing to apply a cloth and pressure to the wound. Asuna’s arm finally lowered all of the way.

“I see,” she said. “In that case, tend to the wound and then we’ll transport them both in handcuffs to headquarters.”

I gasped again as Eugeo pressed against the wound. Asuna shot us both a cold glance.

“You’re only pardoned until you’ve given birth,” she said.

Eugeo knit his brow.

“And what do you plan to do with our child after you’ve killed us?” he said, his tone sounding rather dangerous.

She turned her back on us.

“That’s none of your concern,” she said. “Just know that as soon as you’ve given birth, I’ll be placing your head on a stake with the others.”

That was the last I recalled of the conversation before I blacked out.

I hoped I would wake up to see the nightmare was over.


	4. Bringer of the Sword to a Gunfight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: You know I had to do it to 'em.

When I came to, the first thing I noticed was the grey ceiling with a single fluorescent light in the center of it. I tried to move my arms. My wrists seemed to be fastened in place over my head. I did the same with my ankles and found them tied down as well. My midsection throbbed in protest to my movements. Groaning, I turned my head onto its side and saw someone working at a table. She was dropping something into a dish with tongs. Blinking a few times for clarity, I realized it must have been the bullet Lightning Flash planted in my stomach. I tugged at the restraints. Why was I worried about me? They had Eugeo.

The woman turned back around and grinned. She had short pink hair and freckles, which seemed to match the facetious grin plastered on her face. She was wearing an outfit that, much like Lightning Flash’s, was covered head to toe with holsters for guns. She leaned over the table I was on and snickered a little.

“Where ya going?” she asked. “Must be somewhere important if you’re trying to escape zip ties with a bullet wound.”

I glanced down at my front. I realized I was wearing nothing but my underwear. Scowling, I tugged against the ties even harder. My belly felt like it was filled with fire, but that was unimportant. I had to get out and go rescue Eugeo. The woman sighed and pulled out a box of cigarettes. She pulled two out.

“How about this, Mr. Officer’s Pet,” she said. “I let you sit up, you take a smoke with me and calm yourself, and when you’re calm, I’ll show you where your honey bun’s at.”

I frowned at her.

“Honey bun?” I said.

She chuckled and shrugged.

“I’m mocking you, obviously,” she said. “But the offer still stands. Take a smoke with me, and I’ll take you to your boyfriend.”

Sighing, I nodded. I’d never smoked a day in my life, but if it got me out of these zip ties and closer to Eugeo, I would do whatever it took. The woman grinned and reached down to cut off the zip ties of my hands first. I wrung my hands, trying to get rid of the lingering feeling of the plastic against my wrists. She undid my ankles, and then she helped me get down off of the table. I clutched my belly with my hand as it reminded me there was an injury there. The woman kept my other arm around her shoulders as she walked me outside to a small, deserted area with a bench. She handed me a cigarette and then stuck one in her mouth. She lit both of them and then took a long drag of hers. Swallowing, I held the thing up to my lips and drew in a breath. I immediately pulled it out and started choking. She started laughing.

“Ahaha…you’re not a smoker, are you, Mr. Government Official?” she teased.

I grimaced and smacked my lips a little, trying to ignore the horrid taste in my mouth. I just held the cigarette to my side. Maybe she wouldn’t take too much offense if I ignored the rest of the thing.

“I’m not really a government official,” I said, sounding like I’d just swallowed a frog. “What makes you people think I am?”

She shrugged and glanced back at the building we’d just left.

“We’re a rebel troupe that wants to behead the Integrity Officers and their vile leader, Administrator,” she said. “That young man in there is guilty of protecting a woman who wants to be the dictator of our nation. You’re claiming to be married to him, so that makes you important to a degree.”

I frowned at her.

“I don’t see why her policies sound like a dictator to you,” I said. “While I didn’t marry my husband on a basis of politics, I do know that Administrator wants to protect this world. Why do you people rebel against it?”

The woman laughed.

“First off, the code name’s Lisbeth the Smith,” she said. “Liz, for short.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Secondly, imagine that you’re happy and free to do as you please, so long as you’re morally good to everyone you meet,” she said. “The simple stuff. Don’t lie and cheat, don’t kill people, and certainly don’t ransack their property or steal it. Now, imagine being told you have to live your life a certain way. Administrator came in and is forcing the people to give up their lives to do what she wants them to do. I’m not cut out to be a baker. But that’s what she ordered me to be.”

Sighing, I looked at her. She certainly didn’t look like a baker, but I couldn’t say anything. My role had been assigned to me very clearly. I had a specific job as Eugeo’s husband, and Administrator had given me the details I’d needed along the way. The only thing she hadn’t decided was my initial falling for him. I’d been an officer trainee, after all. Falling for Eugeo meant that I couldn’t be an Officer, she’d said. She wanted to prevent awkward conflicts-of-interest such as those that had happened between Bercouli and Fanatio.

“Is having your fate determined for you so bad?” I asked. “I mean, it makes things easier. No searching for a job, no worries about what your life will amount to…”

The woman known as Lisbeth gave me a loud, fake laugh.

“I’d take the difficult path of finding myself any day over being told I have to do what someone else chose for me to do,” she said. “Part of living is self-discovery. You may find that being a captive here in Lightning Flash’s camp might teach you more about yourself than your complacent ass would ever want to know.”

Patting me on the back, she put out her cigarette in an ashtray and disposed of the butt in the trash can. I glanced at the burning stick in my hand, frowned at it, and then did what she did. She helped me inside the same way she’d helped me walk out, which felt pretty embarrassing. This time, people passed us in the hallway. They gave me weird looks, most of which seemed to be filled with disgust. I’d never been this close to the rebels before. Their faces were nothing like Suguha’s. I tried to ignore them.

Lisbeth took me back into an area that looked a bit like a hospital ward. I instantly felt worry fill my stomach. If Eugeo was back here, that meant something had happened to him. My heart raced in my chest. I saw Suguha run out of a room three doors down from us. Her face was scrunched up as if she were about to cry. She waved for us to hurry.

“Oh, _there_ you are!” she cried. “Lisbeth, I told you to bring my brother down here as soon as he came to, what on earth were you doing?”

She laughed and shook me a little.

“Tryna pick his thoughts, that’s all,” she said. “How’s blondie doing?”

Suguha pulled me away from Lisbeth and helped me into the room she’d just been in. Eugeo was propped up on a medical table with his shirt pulled up to his ribs. A girl with long, white hair was holding something up to his belly. I blinked a few times before I realized what was going on. Despite arresting us, they were checking on the baby’s health. Eugeo turned his head and gave me a relieved smile when he saw me. I staggered over to him without help and grasped his hand.

“Hey, you,” I said.

He reached up one hand and cupped my cheek. Tears started streaming out of his eyes. I squeezed his hand.

“Hey, I’m okay, Eugeo,” I said. “I’m right here.”

Nodding, he tried his best to compose himself. I brushed tears off of his cheeks, trying to get him to calm down. He was hooked up to a heart monitor, so I knew he was pretty emotionally worked up. I leaned over him and pressed my forehead to his. He angled his head so that he could steal a kiss from me. I lifted my eyes and looked him over. One of his feet was set in a cast. There was an IV running into one of his arms, too. I nodded at the ankle.

“Ah…I know it was cowardly, but I tried to run and tripped,” he said. “I landed wrong on my ankle.”

I squeezed his hand a little harder and reached up to pull his head closer to mine to kiss his crown.

“What am I going to do with you?” I asked, stifling a sob of my own.

I let go of his head and reached down to touch the top of his belly.

“Is he okay?” I asked.

Suddenly, Eugeo was smiling so brightly I forgot about the pain of seeing him hurting. He stroked my cheek with his thumb and pulled me in for another kiss. He laughed and glanced over at the girl who’d had the machine held up to his belly. When he looked back at me, he let go of my face and dropped his hand down to the top of his belly atop mine.

“Yes, _she_ is,” he said, laughing. “We’re having a baby girl.”

My chest filled with warmth. I could consider the consequences if Administrator didn’t want us to know the baby’s sex later. For now, the joy of knowing replaced any fear of repercussion. But there were more pressing worries for us than Administrator. Eugeo was healthy (aside from his ankle) for now, but Asuna had declared that his grace period ended when the baby arrived. I cradled Eugeo for a moment longer before I stood back up.

“So, are we just your unwilling prisoners until he delivers?” I said, directing my comment at Lisbeth and the girl standing by the monitor writing things down. “Is there nothing we can do in exchange for our lives?”

The girl by the monitor pulled her white hair out of her face and frowned at us.

“Your fates are ultimately going to be put to a vote,” she said. “We can’t ignore that Integrity Officer Thirty-Two has fought to protect the woman we’re trying to remove from office. Carrying an innocent life doesn’t pardon him from execution at Asuna’s hands; it only gives him a grace period in which to either prove he’s defected or seal his fate.”

I clenched my hands up into fists.

“You, on the other hand, could be killed on the spot for fraternization with the enemy,” she continued. “But you’re easier to convert with no consequences. A defected Integrity Officer might rub the people wrong. You, however, mean very little to them. Besides, it might be worth keeping one parent alive to care for the baby.”

I stepped forward to reach out and grab her by the shirt. I stopped when a gun was pressed against my temple. Turning my eye very carefully, I saw a girl with light blue hair staring at me with the most intense eyes I’d seen aside from Administrator herself. She turned off the safety and gave me a warning look.

“If you even think about touching Yuuna, I’ll put a bullet right through your skull,” she said.

I lowered my hand.

“That’s rich coming from people who shot me for being married,” I spat.

The blue-haired woman smirked, as if I’d said something amusing. She lowered her gun down to my chest and pressed the business end of it right up to my heart. My pulse spiked. I had to be careful. The safety hadn’t been reengaged. She leaned forward and narrowed her eyes at me, clearly wanting to make some kind of a point to me.

“I don’t think you understand the position you’re in, _Kirito_ ,” she said. “I might have missed the first time, when I tried to snipe you in your sleep, but make no mistake that I won’t miss a second time. And if you think for even a second that one of us thinks you’re not just as guilty as your husband, you need to rethink your recent actions.”

I swallowed.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said.

She turned the gun in her hands and slammed the butt of it into my head faster than I could react. I gasped from the pain and fell down to the ground. Eugeo yelped my name. The woman knelt down beside me and grasped my bangs in her hand, pulling my head up so that I had to look at her. Her gaze was like ice.

“Quit playing innocent,” she said. “We know you’re the assassin.”

Eugeo’s eyes widened.

“A-assassin?” he stammered. “That’s outrageous! He’s not legally allowed to carry weapons!”

Lisbeth stepped forward and placed her hands on her hips.

“Come off it, Sinon,” she said. “You know how Administrator’s pets are. They’re all honest to a fault. Leave the guy alone.”

She turned to me and gave me an apologetic look.

“Sorry, Sinon’s a bit on edge because one of Administrator’s assassins one of our top fighters and gravely injured her boyfriend,” she said.

Sinon glared up at Lisbeth.

“It’s not like that and you know it,” she hissed. “You leave mine and Kyouji’s business between us. Now, Kirito, why don’t you open up to your husband and tell him the truth. I’m good at remembering faces. I know you’re the bastard that killed Yuuki!”

I swallowed and looked between Eugeo and Sinon. It was true that to Eugeo, I was, on the surface, just his husband. But Sinon was also right. Even though I’d been denied the right to be an Integrity Officer, she’d determined that my skills were too good to waste. More specifically, I was only banned from holding guns. I silently apologized for lying to Eugeo on orders and forced myself to stand up. I set my jaw and swatted Sinon’s gun away from me.

“Yeah, I killed strong rebels,” I said. “But I did it to protect my family and my country.”

From the corner of my eye, I saw Eugeo go pale.

“Ki…rito?” he stammered.

I averted my gaze.

“I knew it,” Sinon said, gripping her gun so tightly that her knuckles went white. “You’re him. You’re the Black Swordsman.”


End file.
